As part of their E3 press briefing, Sony has announced that upcoming God of War prequel Ascension will be released on March 12, 2013.

In addition, Sony Santa Monica showcased a brand new single-player demo showcasing new locations, enemies, and the game’s impressive new art style. The most curious moment in the demo came when Kratos appeared to turn back time in order to repair parts of the environment that had been destroyed. In one segment, he wound back the clock until some blocks and scaffolding were hanging in mid-air, partially destroyed, then used them as platforms to scale to the top. It’s unclear how much of a role this new ability will have in the game, but it’s certainly an interesting addition to Kratos’ lineup, and one that might require him to use his brain for a change.

Josh Harmon picked up a controller when he was 3 years old—and he hasn't looked back since. This has made him particularly vulnerable to attacks from behind. He joined EGM as an intern following a brief-but-storied career on a number of small gaming blogs across the Internet. Follow him on Twitter @jorshy. Meet the rest of the crew.